New Psoriasis Medications in the Pipeline

A few years ago I started following the news wires to stay current on psoriasis treatments and happenings. With the advent of social media it is easier to do so than ever before. One tool I use is a Google Alerts, which on most days sends me news articles or blogs related to my search term, simply “psoriasis.” Twitter is also a great way to find new articles and information hitting the Internet.

Many times the news surround new treatments in development. Medical web sites, news organizations such as Reuters, and financial services web sites often broadcast the latest. One of this week’s news items focused on a new drug from the biopharmaceutical company Celgene called apremilast. You can read about the results they presented in this not so technical, easier to understand for the layperson article.

Another resource I like to look at is the National Psoriasis Foundation’s (NPF) list of psoriasis medications in development at their web site page, “Drugs in Development: Drug Pipeline.” If you link to this page you’ll find that Celgene’s apremilast is the first one listed under “Oral treatments in the pipeline.” They tell us that Phase III answers the question “Is it effective and safe in large groups of people?” The report out today on apremilast was indeed a Phase III study. With solid results coming out of this trial, it’s possible they would seek the next step of filing for regulatory approval at the end of the year, so the news article tells us.

Then there is the financial side to these medications. Companies that develop these medications ultimately do so to make money. One article talked about the good and bad news of the recent results for apremilast. If you’re not interested in the so-called bottom line that investors look at, you still can glean some information from the financial articles. From this article I learned that the results from the Phase III study were not as promising as the Phase II, but that regulatory approval would still be possible for both psoriatic arthritis and psoriasis.

With a little searching around the World Wide Web it’s now easy to find out what treatments are in the pipeline, their efficacy and safety, and even their financial impact on the companies who make them. Whether you want to take a drug in a psoriasis clinical trial, or when it is first approved is a decision that warrants much consideration and discussion with doctors. I understand others may be turned off by the pharmaceutical industry, or are seeking complementary/alternative approaches. I personally like to stay educated one way or the other on whatever is new in the world of psoriasis. After all, with education come understanding and options.

Have you ever participated in clinical trials for psoriasis medications? Would you be an early adopter of a new psoriasis medication?

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Howard Chang

Rev. Howard Chang has lived with severe psoriasis and eczema for more than 35 years, since childhood. In addition to actively blogging and tweeting about skin-related concerns, he volunteers for the National...read more

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